The Leica M-D thread - merged.

[ramarren]

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The more I observe how I use my M-P, the more I know that the M-D would be ideal for me. 

[Luke_Miller]

I would love to see Leica develop the M-D further by adding the possibility of linking your phone to the camera (by cable or bluetooth) so that the phone could be used as a screen. Or even if Leica developed an actual small screen that could be connected to the outside of the camera through the hotshoe. It would attract a lot mor customers.

 

I agree.  I love the concept, but the M-D as currently implemented does not support my primary shooting mode of manual and auto-ISO.  A Smartphone app that accessed an M-262 like menu structure would make the M-D much more versatile. An easy implementation might be a computer application that would create a user profile for the desired settings that could be placed on an SD card and uploaded into the M-D.

[jaapv]

Dirk, you cannot call that shutter lag. The MM1 has no shutter lag at all. Maybe the shutter button has longer travel, but I am not even sure that's the case. The only difference between the shutter of the MM1 and MM2 (or M9 and M240) is the loud recocking sound of the earlier versions, but at that point the exposure has already been taken.

 

I found this in an older thread about the M8:

 

To say that there is more shutter lag is misleading. I am very sensitive to shutter lag, and I only shoot with an MM1 and M9. As a matter of fat, I found live view with the M240 useless for my street shooting because of the lag time between pressing the shutter to taking the exposure due to the sensor clearing.

We have had quite a few discussions on shutter lag. this is one of the more interesting posts:

 

You can also establish shutter lag with sound. Here two releases of the M9, one with 1/60 sec. (top panel) and one with 1/30 sec. (bottom panel) shutter time, sampled at 44.100 Hz. The first burst of sound happens right when pressing the button. Then there is a 0.09 second silence and the first curtain starts to travel, shown by the second burst. The third burst is the sound of travel of the second curtain, closing off the sensor. Remarkable how similar the sound waves are due to the exact way the mechanism of the shutter is operated. Every time the same way.

 

And this:

 

To show that you can compensate for shutter lag and to show how accurate you can time an exposure here the result from a simple experiment with a turntable for records. (Remember those large black discs with grooves that had music on them encoded in mechanical vibrations ). Those turntables have very accurate rpm, which I set at 45 rpm. I tried to make exposures with the M9 when the arrow on the rotating disc would be at the middle of the group of three arrows at the 6 o'clock position. The neighboring arrows are located at plus and minus 25 msec (0.025 sec). As you can see the timing is on average pretty good with an error of plus or minus 25 msec. as maximum. So I do compensate for the shutter lag of 0.09 sec, because I can see the point coming when the arrow on the disk is in the six o'clock position.

 

[menos I M6]

Sensor cleaning?

 

 

CLEANING THE SENSOR

If any dust or dirt particles should adhere to the sensor cover glass, depending on the size of the particles this can be identified by dark spots or marks on the pictures. The camera can be returned to Leica AG Customer Service (Address: see p. 108) for chargeable cleaning of the sensor; this cleaning is not covered by the warranty.

However, you can do this cleaning yourself:

1. Check whether the camera battery has a capacity of at least 60%

2. Set the main switch to

3. Firstly, keep the function button pressed down, and then press

   the shutter release button.

   The shutter opens, thus revealing thesensor for cleaning (if the battery capacity is too low, the shutter will not open and the note bc (= Battery Capacity) appears in the viewfinder).

4. Clean:

   Make sure you follow the instructions below.

5. After you have finished cleaning, turn the camera off with the main switch. The shutter closes again after 10s. 

[jdlaing]

 

 

I don't think that's what he meant.

[menos I M6]

I don't think that's what he meant.

 

;-)

 

Nevertheless, you made me download a manual for a camera I do not own. I saved it for later.

[jcraf]

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Another great day out with the M-D over the weekend. As a bit of light relief to all the intellectual debate, here's a shot of dear old Winnie. 

 

M-D, 50 Apo-Summicron.

 

I love this camera.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[BerndReini]

I shoot an M9, an MM1, an M7, and an MP. My M9 and MM have no shutter lag! I'm going to test tomorrow with my friend's M240.

 

Can anyone comment on the shutter lag Dirk perceived with the CCD generation of M cameras?

 

Sorry, I'm on my iPhone and didn't realize that another page has already been added to the discussion. Either way, I do not believe there is any shutter lag with my MM1. Of course, I may have my shutter mode set differently or I am subconsciously anticipating.

Edited May 9, 2016 by BerndReini

[Peter H]

I agree.  I love the concept, but the M-D as currently implemented does not support my primary shooting mode of manual and auto-ISO.  A Smartphone app that accessed an M-262 like menu structure would make the M-D much more versatile. An easy implementation might be a computer application that would create a user profile for the desired settings that could be placed on an SD card and uploaded into the M-D.

 

 

I remain baffled.

[sumolux]

I agree.  I love the concept, but the M-D as currently implemented does not support my primary shooting mode of manual and auto-ISO.  A Smartphone app that accessed an M-262 like menu structure would make the M-D much more versatile. An easy implementation might be a computer application that would create a user profile for the desired settings that could be placed on an SD card and uploaded into the M-D.

 

Don't get it...

Why would you even want an M-D to begin with in this case ?

Might as well just buy an M 262 with a screen 

Edited May 9, 2016 by sumolux

[kenf]

Don't get it...

Why would you even want an M-D to begin with in this case ?

Might as well just buy an M 262 with a screen 

I can see wanting it - I usually shoot without reviewing, but sometimes I will do a quick review when faced with tricky light.  Having the ability to quickly review on my smartphone would be nice for those occasions rather than having a screen on camera that isn't used much.  Plus, settings could be done on the phone.

[likealot]

Don't get it...

Why would you even want an M-D to begin with in this case ?

Might as well just buy an M 262 with a screen 

 

 

 

I'll list some benefits of it:

 

external screen means one less thing to break or go wrong.

less drain on battery life

gives people a choice of when they want to preview or not

[Peter H]

I can see wanting it - I usually shoot without reviewing, but sometimes I will do a quick review when faced with tricky light.  Having the ability to quickly review on my smartphone would be nice for those occasions rather than having a screen on camera that isn't used much.  Plus, settings could be done on the phone.

 

 

I can understand the desire for simplicity, (surely that's what most of us want isn't it?) but honestly, requiring an additional device and app sounds like deliberately making a camera more complicated than it needs to be.

 

I've nothing against anyone enjoying their camera for whatever reasons make sense to them (what's it to do with me anyway?), but I can't understand the suggestion that the M-D represents an advance in simplicity for photographers: there's evidently more to true simplicity than the lack of a screen, with the limitations that imposes: limitations which may in some circumstances make other parts of the process a degree more complicated.

[Luke_Miller]

Don't get it...

Why would you even want an M-D to begin with in this case ?

Might as well just buy an M 262 with a screen 

 

I have an M240 and EVF.  But the M-D still has strong appeal.  That many don't get it is understandable. If my photographic life had begun in the digital age I likely would not get it either.

[jaapv]

I see the temptation. But it is easily countered; I simply take out one of my film Ms.

[marchyman]

Sensor cleaning?

 

 

Clean your glasses  He wrote sensor clearing, not sensor cleaning.

[Peter H]

I have an M240 and EVF. But the M-D still has strong appeal. That many don't get it is understandable. If my photographic life had begun in the digital age I likely would not get it either.

For some of us, it's not that we don't get it you know. It's that we don't feel the same way about a digital camera stripped of a simple basic functionality with no benefit other than the psychological effect.

 

I used film for at least thirty years before digital, and ran my own darkroom and did my own colour and B&W d&p, so it's not a question of not getting the film analogy the sense you suggest. I think it's just a question of marginally different photographic methodologies and most certainly not ideologies, and any suggestion that it's to do with simplicity let alone purity of photographic vision or practice is illusory.

[ramarren]

Another great day out with the M-D over the weekend. As a bit of light relief to all the intellectual debate, here's a shot of dear old Winnie. 

 

M-D, 50 Apo-Summicron.

 

I love this camera.

 

 

Heya John, 

Winnie is straight, but why is Big Ben tilted? '-)

[BerndReini]

Sensor cleaning?

 

Sensor clearing. What I'm referring to is that when shooting in live view, the sensor has to be reset before you are able to take an exposure. In the case of the M240, this takes a noticeable amount of time.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

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For some of us, it's not that we don't get it you know. It's that we don't feel the same way about a digital camera stripped of a simple basic functionality with no benefit other than the psychological effect.

I think that this is not the way some members see it.

 

They see a camera with a vastly reduced user interface and many options removed that are not useful enough. The benefit is, of course, simpler handling of the camera. The added benefit is that you won't alter some settings by mistake. You won't forget to return a rarely used setting to its normal value for the next outing.

 

The absence of a screen may be of little importance for those photographers because they use the screen but rarely for checking their photographs, and it's no longer needed for operating the camera. Gone is the scratchable surface. Gone are the zillions buttons you press even when holding the camera. Gone are several openings in the case where moisture can enter.